Columbus East High School

THE ORANGE PIT — It was an emotional Monday night at the Orange Pit as the Columbus East boys volleyball team honored its graduating class before facing off against the Silver Creek Dragons. While the Olympians ultimately fell in straight sets (18-25, 20-25, 23-25), the evening served as a powerful tribute to the program's leadership. Honoring the Seniors Prior to first serve, the Olympians celebrated Senior Night, recognizing two pillars of the program: Jonathan Sylva and Aiden Sorrells. Both seniors were commended for their excellence not only on the hardwood but also in the classroom, embodying the true definition of the student-athlete. Once the whistle blew, both seniors led by example. Jonathan Sylva turned in a massive "double-double" performance with eight kills and 10 digs, while Aiden Sorrells provided a spark from the service line with a crucial ace. Match Highlights Silver Creek took the first two sets by keeping the Olympians’ defense on their heels. However, East found a second wind in the third set, nearly forcing a fourth before the Dragons narrowly escaped with a 25-23 win. David Sylva was the engine of the East offense, recording 22 assists to go along with seven digs and an ace. At the net, Matthew Muir was a force, pounding down three kills and recording a team-high three blocks. Other Key Contributors: Patrick Strickland: 6 kills, 6 digs, and 2 blocks. Trevor Ernst: 10 digs to help stabilize the back row. Jax Branaman and Jacob Thomas: Combined for 4 kills in the middle. Kash Coers and Kam Robertson : Contributed a combined 6 digs in defensive relief. Full Stat Sheet Category Leaders Kills J. Sylva (8), P. Strickland (6), M. Muir (3), J. Branaman (2), J. Thomas (2) Assists D. Sylva (22) Digs J. Sylva (10), T. Ernst (10), D. Sylva (7), P. Strickland (6), K. Coers (4) Blocks M. Muir (3), P. Strickland (2) Aces A. Sorrells (1), D. Sylva (1) The Final Stretch: The Olympians have a quick turnaround as they head into the final days of the regular season. Thursday, May 7: Road match at Warren Central High School. Saturday, May 9: Regular season finale at the Jennings County Round Robin. The Saturday tournament begins at 12:00 p.m. and features a tough four-team field: Columbus East, Greenwood, Bloomington South, and host Jennings County.